Black Men in Tight Pants and Meeting the Almost Famous

Downtown Vancouver is where I feel the most moved away. I haven’t done extensive traveling in the USA so I can’t tell you if Portland, Oregon feels different from Seattle or if Birmingham’s disposition varies greatly from Memphis’. But I do know Toronto is not the same as Edmonton and neither is like Vancouver. And downtown is where it hits most markedly. Perhaps it’s due to Canada’s epic size, geographic diversity or small population, but as I walked around Canada Place with all its tourists snapping pictures of the harbor, down through Gastown, up Robson Street I was aware that I wasn’t home anymore. Oddly enough, I was wholly comfortable with that. It was a happy realization, and I strode down metropolitan avenues cheerfully (what if I lived in an earlier decade might be called ‘gaily’.)

However, one thing I will say is there aren’t very many skateboarders in this burg. I thought it would be overrun with Sk8r Bois and Goils, but there were way more boards around the U of A this past year than downtown Van City. Furthermore, where are all the comely girls with All Star sneakers, thick glasses and Expo ’86 t-shirts? Call me superficial, but I don’t mind a little indie eye candy as I explore town. Mad props to Edmonton for being more hip per capita.

I visited and got orientated at the ESL school I’m working at in August. Seems great and very well run. I’m looking forward to it. Teaching English has been, so far, the most enjoyable job I’ve had and something I think I will always view with a lot of fondness. Smiles all around.

Last night, Themba’s cousin Steven (Stephen?), who somehow makes wearing tight purple pants workable, invited us out for a throw down at some club called Ginger 62 or something. I like him; he’s friendly and keeps interesting company. He’s married (are they married? Maybe not) anyways, he’s WITH an Emily Carr instructor and is a musician – his noise rock band is called Cock Fang – and appears to be plugged into the art scene here. Anyways, he got us into the bar for free which impressed me, and it turned out it was an after party for a show that night. I got to meet K-OS, who is actually pals with Ste(v)(ph)en from back in Toronto and I also met Sam Roberts who is refreshingly cordial and also some cats from Broken Social Scene. I don’t know their names, and I know there are a billion people in that band, but it wasn’t Kevin Drew, it was…the other guys. I got compliments from both K-OS and Roberts about my Bob Dylan t-shirt, which made me like them more. Themba, jokingly, asked Roberts if the young Dylan on the shirt was indeed him and Sam just said, “haha, not quite, man.” I kind of wanted to follow up with, “you got that right.” But I think that would’ve been funnier to me than to him.

I know, meeting a celebrity isn’t a big deal or whatever, but it was funky and I enjoyed myself. The best part was hanging out properly with Pat, Nig 4000 (Themba), his cousin and his friend Ian who is also an artist and has done some instillations at galleries around town, and just drink and act foolish on the dance floor. It was like Taiwan. It was sweetly nostalgic.

I found the night also reassuring. Looking around and seeing 38 year olds (Themba’s cuz and Ian are on the ‘mature’ side) busting a move and dressing like they were going to Halo maybe should make me feel sad or irascible, but I liked it. You can age and still care about music, nerdy movies and art. So, I guess there are hipsters in Vancouver you just have to look harder for them.

K-OS gave a shout out to Ste(v)(ph)en from behind the decks at the DJ booth, which was rad, but I must say I was a little disappointed in the set. He did play some hard shit: “Scenario” by Tribe, “Strobe-Light Honey” by Black Sheep, “Gin and Juice”, but a lot of it was not fun to dance to or just downright baffling. Hollaback Girl? C’mon, man….

That’s not the point, though, is it? What matters is I got to go out to a nice bar, get drunk for the first time in my new home with some of my best friends, meet some rock stars, stare at some cute girls with wicked shoes and fall asleep to Anderson Cooper discussing Israel’s possible deliberate targeting of UN outposts in Lebanon and dream, appreciatively, of my new life and how fucking lucky I am.